Here are my best tricks and tips for getting kids clothes and big ticket items secondhand. I always aim to pay ⅓ – ½ of retail, so always look it up ahead of time.
Finding Deals Online
- For strollers, climbers, rock n plays, and more I check Facebook, VarageSale, OfferUp, and even Craigslist. There’s no need to store anything, you just buy them when you need them.
- A secret is to look for localized mommy Facebook groups. A lot of people give things for free or they check there first so you’re most likely to get first dibs on the best stuff.
- The general rule of thumb is if the item is worth $50 or more, it’s probably worth the sellers time so you’re very likely to find those things on these apps.
- You can set up alerts on your phone, so you’ll be notified when new posts happen.
- Make sure to check frequently if you’re looking for a specific item.
Consignment Sale Tips
- Shop at consignment sales for clothes and smaller items. These typically happen in the fall and the spring.
- Check out this link for resources of where to find them!
- Consignment sales are basically giant garage sales with a bunch of different sellers. They’re typically hosted in local establishments and churches.
- In order to shop smart:
- Bring a giant reusable bag – Ikea bags are my favorite.
- Bring cash because the check-out lines are usually shorter as opposed to using your credit card.
- Leave your kids at home; instead bring a measurement of your child’s arm length and a template of their shoe size.
- If you volunteer to help or set up with the sale you often get early access and can find a ton of great scores this way.
- As a general rule, shop clothes largest size to smallest because those tend to sell out the fastest.
- It always helps to bring a friend, so you can help each other look for items and sort together.
- While you’re shopping look for gifts for those upcoming birthday parties. Lots of items will be brand new with tags and you can find brand new toys still in the box.
Hope these tips give you the inspiration to find some great sales.
